LANGKAWI – What gives legends their power? It is the storytellers that keep the intrigue alive from one generation to the next.
Suatukala, a community initiative to promote storytelling in any form among Langkawi youth and children, desires to do just that by staging a reinterpretation of Mahsuri’s story through an original, contemporary musical theatre named Pulau Sri.
According to Suatukala’s co-founder, Karina Bahrin, the show’s main intent is to cast new light on the tale of Mahsuri, as a means of encouraging the revitalisation of Langkawi’s many legends. It will feature Sri, the main character who is a prefiguration of Mahsuri in folklore.
“For centuries, Mahsuri has been portrayed as the victim of a crime, and not given much voice in her own story. Our show seeks to give Mahsuri a chance to tell us her side and provide a more female-centric perspective.Using an all-female cast strengthens our goal of amplifying women’s voices.
“We hope our modern re-telling of Mahsuri’s tale will inspire Langkawians to also revisit their other legends and give them a new lease of life. This will not only help keep these stories alive but ensure they remain relevant to current generations,” she said.
The show is divided into two parts. The first is a ticketed live show that will be held on November 27 at the lawn of Holiday Villa, overlooking the sea where guests will watch the 30-minute Pulau Sri musical theatre and a preview of a soon-to-be-staged show named Langkasuka before dinner is served.
The second show is recorded from live performance and will be streamed free of charge via Suatukala’s Facebook page at 8pm. It is then followed by a discussion with the co-creators of Pulau Sri.
The ticketed live show is priced at RM98. Karina would also like to extend the invitation to those who cannot be in Langkawi during the show date to not hesitate to purchase a ticket as a donation. This allows entry for a local who would appreciate watching the show.
“The premier of Pulau Sri is intended as a fund-raiser. Giving our youth and children a chance to watch the show will expose them to the wonder of musical theatre.
"They are, after all, the keepers of Langkawi’s fables, so we must encourage them to treasure their heritage from an early age and show them the different ways in which stories can be told,” she said.
Karina’s vision when she started Suatukala in 2015 was to promote storytelling in any form that goes beyond performing arts. It encompasses visual arts, photography, architecture and engineering; anything that can be used to tell a story.
The production will involve 14 cast members, where all but two are not Langkawi locals. It will be helmed by Malaysian independent artists, spoken word poet Sheena Baharudin and musician Takahara Suiko. This program is also supported by Arts for All Seasons (ArtsFAS) by Yayasan Hasanah.
Tickets for Pulau Sri can be purchased at RM95 each via ticket2u.com.my’s website. Those who wish to donate tickets can also purchase them on the site and forward their tickets to Suatukala for distribution to the youth and children of Langkawi from underprivileged families. – The Vibes, October 30, 2021
